1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an open-and-close mechanism of a cover and an electronic device with a cover having the open-and-close mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
Open-and-close mechanisms have been adopted to portable electronic devices. In one example, a finger is put into a slot formed at a housing to which a battery cover is detachably attached, and the finger is put on a tab provided on the battery cover to open the battery cover. In another example, a finger is put on a convex portion or a concave portion provided at a battery cover which is slidably attached to a housing to open the battery cover.
However, the above mechanism, wherein the slot is formed at the housing or wherein the tab, the convex portion or the concave portion is formed on the battery cover, has a problem that it cannot achieve a flat housing.
Recently, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-33489 proposes a lock mechanism which does not easily weaken and by which a battery lid can be easily removed and attached. This lock mechanism is used for locking the battery lid to a housing and includes a slide member attached to the housing, a pressing member and a hook provided at the battery lid. An engagement block, which is engaged with the hook, is provided at the slide member. The pressing member is attached to the slide member so as to be movable along a direction that intersects a sliding direction of the slide member. When the pressing member is pressed, the slide member is pressed by the pressing member and slides so as to move away from the battery lid. This movement releases the engagement between the hook of the battery lid and the engagement block.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-54193 proposes a lock mechanism which prevents damage to a lock member and an engaging part when a lid member is attached to a housing part, with the lock member moved to a lock position. This lock mechanism comprises a lock member which is slidably arranged on a battery lid, and which moves between a lock position where the battery lid attached over an opening of a battery housing part is locked and a lock release position where the battery lid can be attached to and detached from the opening of the battery housing part. The lock mechanism further comprises an engaging part which is provided in the battery housing part for the engagement with the lock member moved to the lock position and an elastic body which is arranged integrally with the lock member, and which is elastically deformed by the lock member and at the same time converts elastic force into force to move the lock member toward the lock release position if the lock member makes contact with the engaging part when the battery lid closes the opening of the battery housing part.
The lock mechanisms in the above Japanese Patent Publications can achieve flat housings. However, after the lock is released by sliding the slide member or the lock member, the battery lid needs to be opened by lifting up the end thereof with a hand or by sliding the battery lid while pushing a surface thereof. Thus the opening operation of the lid is troublesome.